After reading my earlier blog post professing my love for wine, it's probably no surprise that I got wine as birthday and valentine's gifts.  (Yeah! Thank you!)  As I said,  wine is always the right size and style, so definitely no need for a gift receipt!  But the best part about opening a bottle of wine is not the wine itself.  It's the sentiment and the people that come with it.

For me, opening a bottle of wine signals the end of a busy Saturday.  The errands have been run, groceries put away, and (ideally) laundry folded.  Wine = the start of the evening hours when you can sit back, relax and enjoy time with the family.  On a weeknight, getting out the corkscrew means I can put the work day behind me and change gears back to being home.  And best of all is sharing a bottle of wine!  Having wine with other signifies a celebration.  It does not have to be a special occasion, it simply celebrates that you are with good company and spending time with kindred wine spirits! :-) 

These photos, below, taken by my good friend Shannon of Shannon Decole Photography capture exactly why I love wine.  We were visiting with my dad at his house, and he is always a great host even when just dropping in at a moment's notice.  Wine is the excuse to linger at the table and talk, or in in the case of my dad, recount all the good ol' Hansen stories!

These are the everyday moments, and these are moments we remember.  And when going through old photos 20 years from now, photos like these are the ones we will cherish.  So uncork a bottle of wine, or crack a beer, or brew a hot cup of tea, or pile up the ice cubes in a tall class of soda.  Don't be afraid to sip slowly so as to enjoy all these little moments that make life special.  And why not enjoy the wine, too...

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Melissa